ARCHIE SHEPP — Kwanza (review)

ARCHIE SHEPP — Kwanza album cover Album · 1974 · Progressive Big Band Buy this album from MMA partners
3/5 ·
Abraxas
By 1969 most free jazzers were already looking for new ground, already past Coltrane's death, "the new thing" wasn't being well received anymore even by the supporting minority. It is in the case of free jazz pillar, Archie Shepp, who started to try out electric instruments and groovy rhythms.

Mind you, Archie Shepp on this album doesn't leave his free jazz roots behind completely, but it's clear that this is by far a more concise set of tunes which could appeal to an open-minded group of jazz fans by the late 60s. 'Back Back' and 'Slow Drag' are proof of this, with repetitive keyboard grooves and some catchy brass line, there's extended soloing throughout but these never reach the common climaxes of free jazz.

'Spoo Dee Doo' is another different side of Archie, featuring the great Leon Thomas on vocals; this is a wonderful short tune with guitar and occasional brass.

'New Africa' is a very tense and moody Grachan Moncurr III (trombone) composition, but for the listener's surprise, the band restrains from doing anything really "free", at least anybody accustomed to Coltrane's extensive soloing shouldn't have any problem. As the title suggests, it evokes African music, both in rhythm and in the occasional yodelling, and the result is really good.

Last track is 'Bakai', a Cal Massey cover that John Coltrane played in his debut album back in 1957. Well, it's 1969 now and it's Archie Shepp who's leading the composition. The differences are abysmal, the former being a hard-bop rendition while the latter a way freer and monotonic one.

As a whole, Kwanza shows Shepp in an interesting new direction with some sense of groove and restraining from the dissonancy of his completely free stuff. And although nothing here strikes you as genius, the music has this weird mix of catchy lines and extended soloing, making this a very enjoyable weird jazz record and probably a good entry to Archie’s music.
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